Editing Player of the match (section)

{{short description|Award in many team sports}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
[[File:2017 Confederation Cup - CMRCHI - Vidal is the Man of the Match.jpg|thumb|Man of the match]]
[[File:Marin Sego Team Croatia Handball World Championship 2019 Player of the Match (47875936901).jpg|thumb|Player of the match]]
In team [[sport]], a '''player of the match''' award (also known as '''man of the match''' or '''woman of the match''')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/man_of_the_match|title=man of the match - definition of man of the match in English - Oxford Dictionaries|website=Oxford Dictionaries - English|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025173131/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/man_of_the_match|archive-date=25 October 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/woman_of_the_match|title=woman of the match - definition of woman of the match in English - Oxford Dictionaries|website=Oxford Dictionaries - English|df=dmy-all}}{{dead link|date=September 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> is often given to the most outstanding player in a particular match. This can be a player from either team, although the player is generally chosen from the winning team.

Some sports have unique traditions regarding these awards, and they are especially sought in championship or [[all-star game]]s. In Australia, the term "best on ground" is normally used, both for individual games and season-long awards. In some competitions, particularly in North America, the terms "[[most valuable player]]" (MVP) or "most outstanding player" are used. In [[ice hockey]] in North America, three players of the game, called the "[[three stars (ice hockey)|three stars]]", are recognised.

In sports where playoffs are decided by series rather than individual games, such as professional [[basketball]] and [[baseball]], MVP awards are commonly given for the series, and in ice hockey's [[National Hockey League|NHL]], for performance in the entire playoffs.